Seeing Junmyeon back in Room 522 gives Minseok relief.  But in another way, it makes him feel much more helpless.  Minseok had been able to pull Junmyeon out of immediate harm, but he is reminded that he still can't bring Junmyeon out of his coma.

Visiting everyday, Minseok sees more and more of Yoonju, but somehow their relationship becomes more strained.  They don't talk.  Yoonju doesn't even bother with formalities anymore and Minseok can see her fraying at the edges.

"I just want my husband back" Minseok had overheard Yoonju crying on a phone call to a close friend. 

When Minseok goes back to trying to sleep regularly, Minseok has nightmares.  But this time, the nightmares are different.  He sees Junmyeon, just out of reach, always racing to where Minseok can't follow.  At the last minute, when Junmyeon is in agony at the distance between his Bound Partner, Junmyeon becomes Jongin, the Disappearing Boy.  The boy's piercing glare turns into one of agony as he writhes in pain.  His whole form is staticky like he's struggling to hang onto the frequency of reality. 

"Jongin?" Minseok calls out in his dream.  "Are you OK?  Jongin?"

But the boy remains silent, reaching out a hand to Minseok until he blinks out of view. 

Minseok wakes up in a sweat, breathing hard with his chest aching and his hands trembling.  He looks at his cell phone to check the time.  It's 4:03AM, but he can't go back to sleep now... not when his blood is pumping in fear and pain like it is now.  Instead, he gets up and stumbles to the kitchen for a glass of water.  He grips his phone in his hand, so that he won't drop it; he's shaking that much.  As he's filling his cup, he unlocks his phone with a swipe.  There's a new message bubble that pops up. 

When he clicks the notification, he sees that the message is from Yixing.

[I have something to discuss with you.
Please meet me at my office tomorrow.]

Minseok replies right away.

[OK.  See you.]

After all, Minseok has something to ask of Yixing as well. 

###

Despite it being spring, the day's weather is a bit more gloomy than usual.  The sun is crowded with clouds and there's a chilly wind that brings forth sweaters and cardigans.  Minseok supposes the heaviness of the weather reflects his mood.  He goes to Room 522 especially early.  It's because he's up at 4 in the morning, but also because he needs to speak with Yoonju.

As expected, when Minseok enters Junmyeon's room, Yoonju is there, reading the morning paper to Junmyeon.  After greeting Junmyeon, Minseok sits down next to Yoonju.

"Yoonju-ssi" Minseok starts to say, startling Yoonju.  "There's something I need to talk to you about..."

Yoonju stops reading aloud and sets the paper aside after seeing the expression on Minseok's face.  Her face goes tense and anxious, but Minseok has never been good at alleviating the atmosphere, not like Junmyeon had been.  So, Minseok goes on, hoping that the truth is better than beating around the bush.

"Do you remember the boy who appeared in Junmyeon's isolation room a few weeks ago?"

Yoonju's eyebrows knit together, but she nods.

"Did you know that he's having trouble controlling his abilities?"

"Well... that's what I heard.  I suppose that's why he suddenly teleported into the wrong room.  But Minseok-ssi, why...?"

"Did you also hear that he's Partnerless?" continues Minseok.

Yoonju lets out a little gasp.

Minseok, who had been talking while facing Junmyeon, now turns to Yoonju.  He shifts his body and his chair so that he is face to face with Junmyeon's wife.

"Yoonju-ssi, Director Kim has asked me to take a compatibility exam."

This time Yoonju's face transforms into one of horror as she takes in the meaning of what Minseok has just said.  She jumps up from her seat, starting to breathe hard.

"But Junmyeon is your Partner!  You can't just... Junmyeon isn't... How could Director Kim just suggest that out of the blue?!"  Yoonju's voice is shrill as she gets more and more agitated, but suddenly, she goes still.  Her voice just above a whisper, asks, "And what did you say Minseok-ssi?"

Minseok sighs, head hanging.

"Of course I said no Yoonju-ssi..."  And at these words, Yoonju slumps back into her chair in relief.

Minseok watches as she buries her face in her hands, feeling helpless.

"But Yoonju-ssi, I've been thinking... about Junmyeon and about Jongin... that boy who appeared by Junmyeon's bed.  We're all going through similar struggles, Yoonju-ssi, and I can't just stand by and..."

Yoonju looks up sharply.  Her eyes narrow and accusing.

"Minseok-ssi" Yoonju cuts Minseok off, "you are Junmyeon's Partner.  Junmyeon isn't dead yet!  He's just... He's just sick... And instead of trying to make him better, you are thinking about abandoning him for a new Partner?!  How could you, Minseok-ssi?  How could you do this to us?  To Junmyeon?!" 

And this time when Yoonju jumps up, Minseok follows, standing still when Yoonju hits him with her fists.  Sobbing, she asks the same question over and over.

"How could you? How could you? How could you?"

###

There are many things that Minseok regrets in his life.  How he was too shy to initiate his first kiss... How he was too cowardly to invest in that startup company... How he hadn't been able to tell his parents that he loved them before they had passed...

But not once had he regretted signing up to be Bound.  Meeting Kim Junmyeon had been one of the greatest achievements in his life... not that he'd tell Junmyeon, of course.  And so great is this feeling that's opposite of regret, that he can't quite express the feeling in words.  He can't bring himself to explain to Yoonju that he's not abandoning Junmyeon.  Not one bit.  But that, in fact, he's doing this for Junmyeon.  But perhaps it's his lack of eloquence or the overwhelming greatness of this feeling, Minseok fails to express as much to Yoonju.  Instead, he leaves a sobbing Yoonju in Room 522 and walks over to Yixing's office.

"Sorry Junmyeon-ah" Minseok mumbles, imagining getting a beating about making Junmyeon's wife cry later on in the future.

When he finally arrives at Yixing's office, he pauses in front of the door.  He wants to throw up because this is so so scary.  This is a new start, something he's never done before.  And yet... when he thinks back to Jongin's face, Minseok can't help but push forward.  Minseok knocks on the door after taking a deep breath.

"Come in" comes Yixing's voice.

###

The tests are exhausting and painful.  The only reason people go through with it is because there's the excitement of finding one's Partner that overshadows most of it.  But Minseok's already been through this once with Junmyeon and Minseok can only imagine how many times Jongin has done this.

They don't say a word to each other.  But Minseok finds out that the boy's full name is Kim Jongin and Minseok says his introductions carefully.  Before he knows it, they're lying parallel in two exam beds getting tested.

"Hyung, it's really great seeing you again" Kyungsoo, one of the examiners, says.

Minseok watches as Kyungsoo's lips form their characteristic heart shape as he smiles.

"Well" Minseok replies, glancing at Jongin, "let's say it's all thanks to your Partner Yixing."

Kyungsoo's smile deepens.

"Actually Sir, you could say it's all thanks to me" says Jungwon, smirking.  "After all, I'm the one who..."

But Kyungsoo waves a dismissive hand.  "Shut up Jungwon."

Minseok chuckles quietly as Jungwon sulks, only wincing when the needle goes into his arm for the tenth time.  Minseok turns to Jongin, but sees an expressionless face.  He remembers what Kyungsoo had told him in private.

"Hyung, I know you'll understand but... Jongin's trying not to get his hopes up, so don't be too offended if he doesn't seem so... enthusiastic" Kyungsoo had warned Minseok.

Minseok understood, of course, but Jongin wasn't even giving Minseok any eye contact.  Suddenly, Minseok's worrying about whether they'd make it as Partners.  He soon shakes his head; he's getting too ahead of himself.  They haven't even matched yet.

"Just one last test, Jongin-ah" Kyungsoo reassures warmly.  "One more test, Minseok hyung."

Minseok nods while Jongin doesn't even seem to register the words.

Finally, after the sensors beep their last, final beep, Kyungsoo announces that the tests are over.

"Have a rest while the results come through.  I'll be back in ten minutes."

Kyungsoo and Jungwon leave the exam room, whispering about some of the results.  They look hopeful, but they're still being secretive about it.  Minseok sighs, relieved the tests are done.  Once again, he glances over at Jongin, who sits emotionless at his exam bed.

"Good job with the tests" Minseok says, trying to be more friendly now that they don't have cords and needles surrounding them.

But Jongin just nods curtly, staring at the wall instead of looking at Minseok.

"They're difficult to go through more than once and you've braved through them again" Minseok continues.  "You're tough."

Jongin doesn't reply.  

Was the boy ignoring him?  Minseok frowns slightly and turns to say something else, but then, Minseok sees.  There's a fine sheen of sweat over Jongin's forehead and nose.  Upon further inspection, Jongin looks flushed and his arms are stiff at his sides with his hands in tight fists.  Jongin's fists are trembling and it's then Minseok realizes that Jongin is keeping it all in.

Something aches in Minseok's heart and he's about to open his mouth to speak again, when Jungwon bursts into the room.

"Already it's at 91%!" he shouts joyfully.  "The results aren't complete, but so far it's above 90 and that's a good-"

Kyungsoo bursts into the room half a beat later, cutting Jungwon off.  There's an irritated expression on his face and perhaps that's due to Jungwon being preemptive, but soon Kyungsoo smiles brightly.

"Congratulations you two.  You have matched. It's nearly 100%!"

There's a brief stillness and Minseok braves a look at Jongin.  Jongin's eyes have gone wide and his arms have become slack at his sides.  His tight fists seem to loosen and his breathing seems deeper now.

"Congrats Jongin" Kyungsoo says softly, taking Jongin's hands.  "You've got yourself a Partner."

###

It's awkward.  They haven't trained together, nor have they really had a conversation.  But Jongin's happiness and relief is mirrored in Minseok.  After going over the details of their test results and planning the Bound Ceremony hastily with Kyungsoo and Jungwon, they agree to meet tomorrow.  They need to store up their energies for their Bound Ceremony, when they'll officially be Bound.

Jongin looks like he has something to say to Minseok in the midst of all the planning, but Minseok just smiles.  They'll have time after the Ceremony.  Instead, Minseok is ushered out of the examining room by Jungwon, who insists Minseok goes back home and straight to bed. Minseok acquiesces but takes a detour once Jungwon has gone back into the building.   He just has one important stop to make.

The familiar hospital hallway looks somewhat more daunting.  He's told Yoonju about being matched again, but he hasn't told the one person who matters most.  When Minseok enters Room 522, luckily, Yoonju is out because she wasn't speaking to Minseok currently.

"Looks like it's just you and me" Minseok says to Junmyeon, smiling and patting his leg on top of the hospital blanket.

Minseok takes Junmyeon's hand in his own, sitting down next to the bed.

"Listen...remember how that kid crashed your room a few weeks ago?  Well, I matched with him."

Minseok searches Junmyeon's face for an expression change that he know won't happen.

"Before you say anything, I'm not abandoning you.  You know that, right?  You have to explain to Yoonju-ssi for me okay?"

Minseok lifts his hand and brushes Junmyeon's bangs from his eyes. There's so many things he wants to tell Junmyeon. There's so many things he wants Junmyeon to weigh in on. If only Junmyeon would say that things will be okay...

"His name is Kim Jongin.  You'd like him" Minseok explains.  "Don't worry too much, alright?  Yixing and I... we have it all planned out.  I'm not breaking our Bond.  Even if I'm torn in two, I'll make sure that both you and Jongin have a dependable Partner."

And while Minseok silently cries into the crook of Junmyeon's unmoving arm, Minseok hopes above all hope that he can make good on his promise.